Your Pet Insurance Guide

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - March - Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD)

Petplan's most common claim for the month of March 2016 was for Intervertebral Disk Disease. Most people associate this problem with the Dachshund breed, but IVDD can occur in many canine breeds and less frequently in cats. Source: Press Release I'm going to point you to a webpage that does a good job explaining the different types of IVDD with illustrations and how it is diagnosed and treated - both medically and surgically. Next, watch this video as a neurologist talks about IVDD: It is important to read a sample policy when doing your research before purchasing pet insurance for... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - February - Periodontal Disease

Petplan's most common claim for the month of February 2016 was for Periodontal Disease. Most people probably aren't aware that studies have shown that periodontal is present in 70-80 percent of dogs and cats by 3 years of age unless steps are taken to prevent it. Source: Press Release What is Periodontal Disease? The periodontium is comprised of tissues that support the tooth - the gingiva (gums), cementum (connective tissue that covers tooth root), alveolar bone (socket), and periodontal ligament (fibers that attach the tooth to the alveolar bone). So, how does periodontal disease develop and what are the potential... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - January - Cruciate Ligament Injury

Petplan's most common claim during the month of January in 2016 was anterior cruciate disease in dogs. I often explain this injury to owners by mentioning similar injuries to athletes which they are familiar with. Source: Press Release Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are commonly seen in middle-aged to older large breed dogs although they can occur in any breed. A veterinary surgeon once told me that a hindlimb lameness in a middle-aged to older dog is a torn cruciate until proven otherwise. The ligament weakens with age due to degenerative changes making it more susceptible to injury. Young dogs can... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - December - Allergies

December's most common Petplan claim for 2016 was allergies. This was surprising to me because the most common allergies I see in practice are due to atopy and are usually more common during pollen season (spring, summer, and fall). Source: Press Release Most allergies manifest themselves by inflammation of the skin, ears or gastrointestinal tract. This usually manifests itself with itchy skin or ears or gastrointestinal symptoms. In fact, itchy skin/ears is a more common manifestation of food allergies than GI signs. The good news is that there are new treatments for itchy skin that are very effective with fewer... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - November - GI Diseases

We are continuing the series on Petplan's most common claim by month from my perspective as a practicing veterinarian. Source: Press Release Perhaps the most common illness I see is some sort of acute or chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorder - either vomiting or diarrhea. Fortunately, most cases are treated successfully with symptomatic therapy. Most of the time we don't know what caused such illnesses. Acute cases can be mild (out-patient treatment) or severe requiring hospitalization with IV fluids and medications to treat the symptoms. While gastrointestinal signs can occur secondary to disorders of other organs e.g. the liver, pancreas, kidneys,... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claims by Month - October - Ear Infections

We are continuing Petplan's most common claim by month in 2016. I also include some insight and tips from my perspective as a practicing veterinarian. Source: Press Release Hardly a day goes by that I don't see one or more dogs with ear infections. They are not common in cats. Otitis is actually inflammation of the ear pinna and/or canal. Infections are usually secondary to the inflammation. I tell clients that the top three underlying causes of ear infections in dogs are allergies, allergies, and allergies. This may be food allergy (usually the protein source in the food) or environmental... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - September - Pancreatic Diseases

Petplan Pet Insurance Company looked at 2016 claims data to determine the most common condition for which claims were submitted by month. For September, it was pancreatic diseases in dogs and cats. Source: Press Release Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency This syndrome is caused by a lack of digestive enzymes being secreted by the pancreas. This can occur in young animals and it is suspected that it may be inherited particularly German Shepherd dogs. The disease can also occur later in life secondary to repeated bouts of pancreatitis that destroys the cells that secrete these enzymes. Because the food eaten by the... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - August - Heart Disease

I am continuing the series highlighting the most common pet insurance claim by month by Petplan pet insurance company and giving my perspective as a veterinarian. This month's focus is on heart disease. Source: Press Release The most common heart disease in cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It is usually seen in middle-aged cats, but can also occur in very young or older cats. Some cats with cardiomyopathy have a heart murmur or an arrhythmia. Cardiomyopathy in cats is usually diagnosed with an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). Anytime I hear a new murmur in a cat, I recommend an echocardiogram... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - July - Fractures

The focus this month is on fractures in our continuing series of Petplan's most common claim by month. Source: Press Release Pet insurance companies usually offer "accident only" policies which would cover fractures. These policies are inexpensive and cover a list of conditions the company considers "accidents." This list will often vary from company to company, so be sure and read a sample policy and/or call the company to be certain what conditions are covered by such a policy. Personally, I recommend getting an "accident and illness" policy that offers much broader coverage, but at a higher premium. Fractures are... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - June - Cancer

This is part of a continuing series based on Petplan's statistics about the most common pet insurance claim by month of the year. This month the focus is on cancer which is one of the most common diagnoses in middle-aged to older pets. The diagnosis of cancer often brings up emotions of fear and dread whether in people or their pets. As you know, the earlier cancer is diagnosed, usually the better the prognosis. I find that there are some pet owners who are very perceptive of subtle changes in their pet's routines and know when things just "aren't right."... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claims By Month - May - Bite Wounds

Last month I started a series of post about Petplan's statistics of the most common claims submitted by policyholders by month. I decided to comment about each month's claim from my perspective as a veterinarian. Source: Press Release Bite wounds in both dogs and cats frequently become infected and require treatment by a veterinarian. In fact, it is best to have your pet examined as soon as you realize there are bite wounds present to try and prevent an infection that will require more extensive and expensive treatment. Injuries sustained when a dog fights with another dog or a wild... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claims By Month - April - Foreign Body Ingestion

I recently received a press release by Petplan Pet Insurance Company where they compiled a list of the most common claims that are filed for each month of the year. A comparison of multiple years would need to be done to determine if these stats are potentially significant or just an interesting tidbit. I have decided to use this list to write monthly about the condition that was the most common for that month and offer any tips I can to help prevent these problems or at least educate pet owners about the condition from my perspective as a veterinarian.... Read more →

PetPlan Introduces New Claim App

Just got this in an email today: In podcast Episode 25, I interviewed a client who has a policy with Healthy Paws - the first company to introduce such an app and she gave it rave reviews. More companies are likely working on a similar app to make the filing of claims easier which will allow policyholders to get their reimbursements much quicker. If you have pet insurance, but haven't yet filed a claim - if you haven't already done so, call or email the company and request a medical record review now - before filing your first claim so... Read more →

Claims Analysis Reveals Top 10 Reasons Pets Visited Veterinarians in 2013

Petplan pet insurance company released a list of the top 10 conditions for which claims were filed in 2013 for both dogs and cats: Vomiting and Diarrhea Cancer Lameness Skin infections Allergies Periodontal Disease Ear Infections Cruciate injuries Urinary Tract Infections Foreign Body Ingestion Most of the conditions in this list could summarize the cases I see almost everyday in practice. Skin infections, allergies, and ear infections are often related and can start at a relatively early age and tend to be chronic conditions. Therefore, getting insurance for your pet early in life would make sure these condtions are covered.... Read more →

Halloween Treats That Are Toxic To Your Pet And Other Precautions

Dr. Jules Benson of Petplan pet insurance offers excellent advice about Halloween treats that can be toxic to your pets and how to prevent a potentially expensive visit to the vet during this holiday. You can also listen to the podcast interview I had with Dr. Benson about Petplan and their policies. Read more →

Petplan Pet Insurance Company: Examples Of Claims Paid

I get a newsletter from Petplan monthly called "Fetch." It always has an example of a claim that they've paid. I decided to visit their Pinterest page and found they had pinned a bunch of examples of claims they have paid. Looking at these claims is insightful. It gives examples of real life events that happened to pets that resulted in a significant expense. It emphasizes that you never know what will happen or when it will happen as well as the potential expense involved in diagnosing and treating some of these injuries and illnesses. This can help you decide... Read more →

Petplan Pet Insurance Company: Founders Talk About How It All Began And Their Vision For The Future

I came across this fascinating article today about Chris and Natasha Ashton, the founders of Petplan North America. Although the company had humble beginnings and initial progress was slow, it is growing rapidly and the future looks bright. It's definitely worth the read. Petplan website Read more →

Another Reason Why Pet Insurance Premiums Rise

I received an email recently from Dr. Jules Benson at Petplan in response to a question I’d asked him. Included in the email was a bit of information that I’d certainly not thought of before and perhaps you haven’t either. We normally think of pet insurance premiums increasing due to several factors e.g. changing underwriters, a pet’s age, adjustments due to actuarial data and “veterinary inflation.” Veterinary inflation is generally defined as the amount a practice raises it’s fees from one year to the next to cover increases in overhead whether that be the cost of drugs, staff salaries, equipment,... Read more →

Switching Pet Insurance Companies In Midstream - Part 2

Merrick, thanks again so much for sharing your story with the readers! If you read my previous blog post, "Switching Pet Insurance Companies In Midstream," then you know what I went through in order to determine which pet health insurance company I felt was best for my 10yo dog, Frida. In this “Part 2,” I want to share with you the process I undertook to make sure, in advance, that I wouldn't get surprises after I had signed up. I asked for an Underwriter's Review or Medical Records Review. This is something that the pet insurance companies don't always offer... Read more →

Switching Pet Insurance Companies In Midstream

This is the second installment of guest posts by readers of this blog detailing their journey of researching and finding a pet insurance company and policy for their pet. In this story, Merrick decided to switch companies when his dog was 10 years old. This can present some challenges especially when considering the presence of pre-existing conditions. I greatly appreciated his willingness to share his thoughts during the research process and even now. The opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author. Every pet owner's situation is different and may have differing opinions and/or reach different conclusions.... Read more →

PetPlan Claims Experience

By Desiree Nascimento, June 2011 My Kerry Blue Terrier, Kieran, was a healthy dog all her life so when I enrolled her with PetPlan in October 2009. I wondered if it would be worth it. At the time Kieran was seven years old and her last physical gave her a clean bill of health. Three months later in January 2010, Kieran started intermittent vomiting. I thought perhaps her food was the problem so I gradually changed her kibble, but the vomiting persisted. Around the same time Kieran began having seizures. They were short, lasting only a few seconds and afterwards... Read more →

A Dog Day Afternoon - Pursuing Pet Insurance

I am so grateful that a reader of this blog has agreed to write a couple of guest posts about her experiences in selecting a pet insurance company and policy for her pet. I hope that it will be an encouragement to everyone else who reads it. By Desiree Nascimento In October 2009 I took on the task of purchasing pet insurance for my seven year old Kerry Blue Terrier. As I conducted research over a two month period I found the variables of pet insurance vast, the comparisons between companies confusing, and the task daunting. Yet I tackled it... Read more →

Pet Insurance Company Statistics Can Serve As Helpful Reminders To Pet Owners

I've been posting lately several articles that are very informative that arose out of statistical analysis of pet insurance claims. Today's article has to do with claims for foreign body ingestion. It is amazing what pets can and will swallow. There have actually been contests in veterinary journals where veterinarians send in x-rays of some unbelievable things that pets have ingested. This should serve as a reminder and warning to do your part to prevent your pet from swallowing something that could cause you to make a costly visit to your veterinarian or local emergency clinic. Even then, accidents can... Read more →

Pet Insurance For The Accident Prone

I ran across this article today giving some statistics about breeds that seem to naturally be accident prone and warrant emergency visits to the veterinarian. One thing to note from this article is that these visits can be quite costly. Read more →

Pet Insurance Can Come In Handy For Older Pets

The title and content of this article reminded me of something that I often tell clients when discussing a diagnostic or treatment plan for their older pet. Pet owners of older pets tend to think that because their pet is older and has a serious condition that it isn't worth pursuing treatment. What they don't understand is that every pet as they get older will eventually develop a chronic disease (just as humans do). This chronic disease can often be treated alleviating the symptoms and giving the pet several more years of a relatively good quality of life. But, it... Read more →

PetPlan Reimbursement Over $25,000

I just read an article about a $25,000 reimbursement by PetPlan over a 3 year period of time for a dog with hip dysplasia. This is considered a hereditary problem and not covered by all pet insurance companies. PetPlan is one of several companies that do now cover hereditary conditions. Read more →

PetPlan Pet Insurance CEO's Tell Their Story

Yesterday, I shared an article about the CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance. Today, I'm sharing another article about the CEOs of PetPlan Pet Insurance Company. If you read the article yesterday, this article may sound strangely familiar. You'll find out why as they tell their story. By the way, I want to thank the Laura and Alex at Embrace and Chris and Natasha at PetPlan because they have been very gracious to me as I have done research for my book on pet insurance and they continue to keep me updated and so far haven't tired of my asking new... Read more →